Epic writing becomes stronger because of the introduction of tragedy. Milton’s paradise lost has the fall of Adam and Eve as the tragedy that makes it more powerful. The lament is similar to the one for Hector, and the fall of Carthage is like the fall of Troy. Her curse pursues Aeneas and there will be a second Achilles in the form of Turnus. The funeral pyre on which Dido dies builds on a series of images, not so much tragic as prophetic. They prophesy later movements in the texts. Aeneas’ account fed her secret flame. In Aeneas she recognizes the size of her ancient flame. The ancient flame is the flame of love, she may have no control and Virgil says that the ancient flame will burn her up as it burned Troy up. The end of book 4 has Dido with wandering eyes, like error from Latin, meaning to wander and to make mistakes. This is like the labyrinth of Daedalus, and also Ascanius. Book 5 begins and ends with Palinurus. This is like Alpenor’s death in the Odyssey. Palinurus looks forward while Aeneas looks back. The funeral games for Anchises are

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Unformatted text preview: like the ones for Patroclus. When Aeneas lands, he doesnt needs boats and pilots anymore. This becomes a roman poem rather than a half-Greek poem. War in homer is clarified by the one-on-one combat. Here it is hellish, confusing, chaotic. This is related to the fury of Alecto. This is the stirring of Amata, the violence of Turnus, and the hunt for Sylvia's stag. The movement of book 7 is the reverse of book 1. the contrast between Venus asking Vulcan to make armor for Aeneas is similar to the idea of Thetis asking Hephaestus to make armor for Achilles. Evander. The feast of Hercules. The story of Hercules and Cacus. Cacus is the Greek for bad things. He is a wrestler. Battle of Actium, where Anthony and Cleopatra are defeated, this is depicted on the shield of Aeneas. Evander says farewell to Aeneas and to Pallas. Evanders settlement will be Rome. Violence and war, the retreat from violence....
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